'Real Husband'Faces Real Lawsuit

By CHRIS FRY

NEWARK (CN) - A waitress claims in court that the husband of a "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star, an owner of a restaurant featured on the show, stiffed her for overtime and called her and her co-workers "Spic bitches" and other "racial, sexual, ethnic and country of origin epithets." Lanise Jackson sued The Brownstone House, its co-owners Albert and Tommy Manzo and manager Robert Manger, in Essex County Court. Albert Manzo is married to "Real Housewives" cast member Caroline Manzo. The Brownstone House has been prominently featured in the show since it began airing in 2009. Jackson says in the lawsuit that she had two stints working at the Brownstone, one from October 2011 to April 2012 and another from September to November of 2013. She claims she was "constructively terminated as she could no longer endure the racial, sexual, ethnic and country of origin epithets hurled at her hourly." Jackson claims that the Manzos and Manger regularly called her and other waitresses "bitch, fucking stupid bitch, Spic bitches, lazy motherfuckers," and other insults. Tommy Manzo asked her, "Are you blind? What are you, Chinese? Open your eyes," she says in the complaint To top if off, Jackson claims she was "forced to work in a filthy, unhygienic atmosphere as defendant, The Brownstone House, Inc.'s facilities were roach-infested." Jackson says she regularly "worked in excess of forty hours per week" but "was never paid time and half overtime." Albert Manzo told Courthouse News the complaint is "absolutely unbelievable," and declined further comment. Jackson seeks damages for discrimination, hostile work environment and hourly wage violations. She is represented by Mark Mulick of Montclair, N.J.